Using your home to support you when you are anxious

As an high sensitive empath, I tend to feel a lot - (I guess that makes me a good interior designer and soul space creator?) . Sometimes the feeling is so strong and so overpowering I feel my whole body is paralysed. 

After diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I have become in touch with all my emotions. Sometimes I hate it, thinking why some kind of emotions can cause me so much heartache, pain and ultimately make me unable to function like a normal human being. However the awareness and then acceptance of these feelings mean that I’m able to employ different methods to feel grounded and safe.

Today is one of the day that my anxieties engulf me. My dear dog is going to have his neutering surgery. I have given him preparation, stroking his hair and ensuring that everything is fine. He gives me a cute looking face, wondering where he’s going and what unknowing disastrous act will be done to him.

Hendrick definitely knows something’s going on this morning…

What I forgot to do is to give myself the same amount of preparation. As you might know, I spend all my time with my dog and Hendrick has become my greatest supporter and companion since I got him last year. My logical mind tell me the neutering is a safe procedure, but my heart is unbelievably anxious.

After sending him to the clinic, I walked home in the rainy weather and knew in 100% certainty that today I needed to be gentle to myself, and fall into the arms of my supportive home.

Open the window 

First thing I did when I got home is to open the window for awhile. Despite the cold weather outside, letting fresh air in helps me to be grounded, know that the air element of the Universe is here with me. If you have a garden, I encourage you to stay in your garden for a wee while to feel the nourishing energy your healing space offers

Sense of smell

A lot of us have underestimated the power of scent. Essential oil is a great way to calm our nerves. Lavender is my go-to as it’s non-toxic to pets and also just smell divine! 

Another thing to reach out for healing is to use incense at your home. Incense is traditionally used as a way to connect to the higher spirits; when you’re in a state of unshakable anxieties and feel like it’s beyond your control, it’s a good idea just to connect with some healing energies from the divine

Calming lighting and colour

 Generally I’m prone to anxieties because of my history of mental illness, so I’ve opted for calming colour like green and pale blue in my home. However, when I’m in a state of heightened emotions, I need everything to be as calming as possible, so I’d turn off all spotlights at home. I’d go for some warm and soothing light just to create an atmosphere that I can relax

Shift your own energy 

There are a couple of ways you can instantly shift your energy. The first is moving 27 things in your home. It can simply be placing things in a drawer, throwing a paper, moving the candle from your bedside table to your bookshelf. When you’re shifting these 27 things, concentrate on the act of lifting an object up, and moving it. Meanwhile breathing slowly. Have a go and see if it’ll make you feel better?

Move 27 things to shift your energy

Otherwise you can easily shift your energy with meditation. I’ve just done an amazing one with my soul bliss retreat group. Or if you feel your home is not supportive or nourishing enough, try the free alpha-waves boosted meditation I’ve created for you

The bottom line is we all have some days that we’re anxious and you can feel like there’s nothing can be done. We just need to accept that it’s one of those days and trust that this too shall pass. When I finish writing this blog, I feel that by voicing it out heals me as well, and of course wrapping myself in a comfy blanket helps. I’d love to know what other tools you employ when you’re anxious? Or are you an empath like me?

If you want to get more tips in having a nourishing home, click the button below!

Making peace with the Scottish Weather at home

It’s one of those days that the rain just never stop. I look outside of the window, thinking it has stopped, so I quickly get changed and take Hendrick out. The minute I opened the main door of the tenement building, of course, it started raining again. How glorious our Scottish Weather is

A lot of HKers are thinking to leave home because of the horrible political situation there, and a lot of people have reached out to me, asking me if Edinburgh is a good place to stay. A lot of them cite the famously unpredictable and wet Scottish weather and it seems to be a reason that deters people moving here.

There’s a Chinese quote that really resonates with me since a young age, it basically translates to “You can’t change the weather but you can change your mood”. Yes, a we have a lot of rainy days in Edinburgh, however, we can make use of interior design to make peace with the occasional discomfort during the darker days

Use colourful, uplifting curtains

I think a lot of the time in Edinburgh we have Gluggavenour (Icelandic word: window weather). I love looking at the raindrops on the window, witnessing the changing rhythm of the rain, contemplating if or when rainbow would come out. It’s a well-known science that lack of light can bring a decline in our mental health, so we can definitely brighten it up by using a colourful curtain. The contrast of a bright curtain with the dark palette outside would create a beautiful and interesting vignette

Snuggle up with throws

What would you like to do on a dark, cold, rainy day? Snuggle up in your sofa! Invest in quality throws, cushions that give you a sense of comfort. I always love a soft wool throw which provides me with such coziness. Together with a mug of warm coffee and an engaging series (just finished little fires everywhere!), a rainy day doesn’t seem too bad. Also, if you are an animal lover but circumstances don’t allow you to have a pet, a cozy throw would offer psychological comfort too!

A statement wallpaper

A client of mine lives in a beautiful converted apartment with large window overlooking the river. The north facing window means she does not get as much natural light as she hopes. Plus the famously wet and dark weather in Scotland means that we might need to spend more time indoors than we thought. But who said we can’t bring the bright nature in?

A statement mural wallpaper does not only provide a wow factor to any rooms, it also creates a very different atmosphere. I love to use a nature inspired mural wallpaper as I think it gives us affinity to the beautiful Mother Earth. If you choose a wallpaper that features l, that’ll bound to cheer you up on a wet day!

I am recently in love with all wallpapers at Woodchip and Magnolia and have already used it in a few projects. Imagine having this beauty at your home - you probably don’t even notice the horrible Scottish Weather.

Let there be light

There are a lot of smart lighting systems in the market. In short, smart lighting allows you to adjust the intensify, brightness, colour of light. There are countless options, and of course you can even control some with your voice! With such a system, you have a lot of control on the lighting at your home and you can brighten up your home on a gloomy day. Or you can even create a dreamy atmosphere by adjusting the colour as well.

If a whole new lighting system is too much, it never hurt to add a cozy reading lamp by your side table to make it more atmospheric. If the lack of sunlight really bothers you, a SAD lamp is a good investment. It definitely helped my first year in Edinburgh when I was still adjusting to the long winter

Activate Feng Shui

Your mental health is part of your overall health

and it should be given the same attention

Feng Shui is about creating harmony between you and your environment. A lot of my clients feel more connected, supported, uplifted by their home after raising the vibrations. Its so crucial for you to vibrate at the same level of your home. If you really struggle with sadness during the winter months, perhaps it is time to see explore your personal health direction. Remember, you mental health is also part of your overall health,
and it should definitely be given the same amount of attention.

Lessons from the dog

I’ve taken quite sometimes writing this blog. The rain just does not seem to stop. When I first started the article yesterday, I felt that I was not aligned with the energy that I hope to project. So I stopped and meditated as I trust that I write what the Universe wants the world to hear, and yesterday just did not seem to be the correct timing.

One thing about being a dog mum is you need to take your dog out regardless of the weather. On a rainy day, this usually pleasurable activity can become a troublesome one when you need to dry your dog and yourself after the walk. Today Hendrick and I went out during the rain. Despite my opposition, I could not say no to this cute face, so I wore my wellies and raincoat, and went to the park.

Of course, we were the only one there.

While I was so irritated by the raindrop on my glasses, and the stickiness of my clothes, Hendrick was having the best time chasing his ball, rolling on the grass. He was not bothered by the rain. He behaves exactly the same way as a sunny day; he still tries to catch the ball by jumping high, he still runs towards me happily and triumphantly whenever he catches the ball. And when he’s tired, he was rolling in the grass, completely unaffected by the dirty mud. That’s the moment I realise the Universe has sent my dog to teach me a lesson; do not let the weather changes your day. Let everyday be the best day in your life.

Let
everyday be
the best day
of your life

And then when I came back home and restarted this article, everything just flows because I’ve finally made peace with the Scottish Weather, with the help of my very inspiring dog.